Assembly for containing and dispensing liquid material



Jan. 10, 1967 w, SCHQLLE 3,297,206

ASSEMBLY FOR CONTAINING AND DISPENSING LIQUID MATERIAL Filed Oct. 11,1965 United States Patent Oflfice 3,2972% Patented Jan. 10, 1967 3297,206 ASSEMBLY F012 CONTAINING AND DISPENSING LIQUID MATERIAL WilliamR. Scholle, Long Beach, Calif., assignor to Spholle ContainerCorporation, Northlake, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Oct. 11,1965, Ser. No. 494,778 Claims. (Cl. 222-105) This invention relates tomeans for dispensing contents of packaged liquid materials wherein thepackaged material is disposed in a flexible plastic container which inturn is disposed in a rigid outer container WlllCh may be of plastic orpaperboard, and if desired may have an intermediate container disposedtherebetween such as of k-raft paper, and is a continuation in part ofmy copending application Serial No. 330,702, filed December 16, 1963,now Patent No. 3,252,634.

More particularly, the present invention relates to an assembly forcontaining and dispensing liquid material comprising a rigid outercontainer and a flexible thermoplastic inner liquid container disposedtherein, the inner container including a spigot adapted to projectthrough an opening formed in the wall of the outer containercharacterized by means extending from the spigot to the container foryieldably permitting the spigot to be opened and for yieldably retainingit in closed non-dispensing position.

The assembly of the present invention is adapted for dispensingcontained liquid which may for example be milk, water, fruit juices andthe like for household use, in anincremental manner. The spigot meanswhich is of relatively simple and economical construction, is adapted tobe engaged to the outer container for anchoring the spigot on thecontainer in dispensing position.

The assembly of the present invention is particularly adapted forstorage and dispensing of liquids as aforesaid from a refrigeratorwherein the entire assembly may be disposed and contents dispensed asdesired or when the occasion requires.

In general, the assembly of the present invention comprises an outercontainer which may be of paperboard or of a plastic such aspolypropylene or polystyrene or other plastic in suitable thickness toprovide relative rigidity, and has disposed therein a flexible plasticbag of synthetic resinous sheet material such as polyethylene,polypropylene and the like substantially filling the confines of theouter container when substantially filled with the liquid to bedispensed. The assembly is desirably of a size which can be readilydisposed on a shelf of a household refrigerator although not necessarilylimited thereto.

The spigot of the present invention comprises a first tubular memberhaving a flexible annular integral flange secured to the inner flexiblecontainer about a communicating opening, and a second tubular membertelescopically en aged with the first at one end portion, the opposedouter end portion of the second tubular member being formed with alateral aperture and an end closure.

It is an object of the present invention to facilitate dispensing andkeeping the container closed when not in use and thus as previouslyindicated the characterizing feature of the present invention is theprovision of yieldable means such as a rubber band or spring extendingfrom the outer surface of one wall of the rigid container to the closedend of the second tubular component of the spigot and thereby adapted tohold it pressed in telescopic engagement within the first tubularcomponent of the spigot, whereby the aperture in the second tubularmember is covered by such first tubular member unless it is desired topull the two tubes apart against the action of the spring or rubberband.

The outer rigid container of the present invention is further providedwith an aperture through which the spigot may be extended and anchoredagainst a defining portion of the outer container aperture. For thispurpose the aperture in the outer container has a first portion which isof suflicient width or diameter to receive therethrough the spigot and acomponent annular flange, together with a relatively narrower openingportion which receives and anchors the spigot between the aforesaid anda rearwardly disposed flange for holding the spigot against displacementfrom the defining wall of the outer rigid container to which it isengaged, and thus against displacement inwardly or outwardly of thecontainer.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention, its details ofconstruction, arrangement of parts and economies thereof will beapparent from a consideration of the following specification andaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a relatively enlarged detailed view on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of containerconstruction.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of another modified form ofcontainer construction.

FIG. 5 is a further perspective view of still another modified form ofcontainer construction.

Refer-ring to the drawings, and particularly FIGS. 1 and 2, thereference numeral 10 indicates an outer container body 10 which can becomposed of a relatively rigid plastic material and which may beupwardly open as shown or which may have a top cover hinged thereto in asuitable manner, not shown. Disposed within the container 10 is aflexible liquid containing liner bag 11 which when filled substantiallyfills the confines of the outer rigid container 10.

Secured to the liner bag 11 is a spigot composed of plastic material andcomprising a first tubular member 12 engaged as by heat sealing to theliner bag 11 about an opening therein by means of the integral annularflange 13. Disposed within this first outer tubular member 12 is aninner or second tubular member 14 having a lateral aperture 15 thereinand an end closure 16. Thus communication is provided from the liner bag11 through the telescopically engaged tubular spigot portions 12 and 14and through the opening 15 when the telescopic parts are spread apart sothat the opening 15 clears the outer tube 12.

The outer tubular component 12 is further formed with a spaced pair ofannular flanges 17 and 18. These flanges or at least the flange 18 is ofa width such that it will pass through the widened opening portion 19 ofthe aperture in a wall of container 10. However, the remainder orconnected opening portion 29 is narrower and just sufficient to embracethe tubular member 12 between the flanges 17 and 18 so that the spigotwill become anchored in container Wall 21 and hold the spigot againstdisplacement inwardly or outwardly of the container so that the spigotmay be manipulated for dispensing purposes,

As an aid to retaining the spigot normally closed and to permit it to beyieldably opened, and to be normally closed when released, I provideyieldable means such as the flexible rubber band 22 extending from andengaged about the end closure 16 and to the anchoring lugs 23, 23 moldedon the outer surface of the end wall 21.

FIG. 3 illustrates another resilient means, namely a removable or fixedleaf spring of plastic or metal 24 anchored in the holder 25 overlyingthe slot portion 20 in the wall 21 of the plastic container body 10,otherwise similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Although not shown, it will be understood that the flexible :plasticliquid container 11 can be composed of a plurality of plies of plasticmaterial, and in the alternative although not shown the flexible plasticcontainer 11 may be enveloped by another flexible or semi-flexiblecontainer such as one composed of kraft paper before being disposed inthe relatively rigid outer container body 10.

FIG. 4 shows another modified form of construction, namely a containerbody generally indicated as 26 which can be composed of relatively rigidpaperboard such as corrugated board, having a slot formed therein whichmay be in the form of a tear-out strip, not shown, and which comprises arelatively widened portion 27 adapted to receive therethrough the end 16and flange 18 of the spigot and to anchor the spigot at the narrowedslot portion 28 in a manner previously indicated with respect to theprevious figures.

In this instance, a pair of tabs 29, 29 may be struck up from the wall30 to provide anchoring means for a rubber band or spring similar to thelugs 23, 23 shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. shows a leaf spring means engaged with a paper board carton 26. Inthis instance the end wall 30 is formed with an opening having a firstrelatively wide portion 27 and a relatively narrower portion 28 similarto that described with respect to FIG. 4 and for the same purpose. Inthis instance, a leaf spring 31 composed of plastic or metal is engagedthrough a slot 32 in the wall 30 and anchored on the wall 33 by means ofthe angular tab 34. The opposed free end 35 can then yieldably bearagainst the spigot end 16 to hold it yieldably closed and to permit itto be yieldably opened for purposes previously described.

Although I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changesmay be made in the details thereof without departing from its scope ascomprehended by the following claims.

I claim:

1. An assembly for containing and dispensing liquid material comprisinga rigid outer container and a flexible thermoplastic inner liquidcontainer disposed therein, said inner container including a spigotadapted to project through an opening formed in a wall of said outercontainer, said spigot including a first tubular member, a relativelyrigid first annular flange embracing said first tubular member includinga relatively flexible peripheral portion sealed to said inner containerabout a communicating aperture therein, a second tubular member havingone end in telescopic engagement with the first at the outer end portionthereof providing a common conduit therewith, a closure at the opposedend of said second tubular member, said second tubular member beingformed with an aperture adjacent said end closure, and resilient meansextending from said rigid container to said end closure for yieldablyretaining said tubular members in telescoped relationship whereby theaperture in said second tubular member is covered by said first tubularmember, said first tubular member including a second axially spacedrelatively rigid annular flange, said rigid outer container being formedwith a slot having an enlarged rportion adapted to receive therethroughsaid second annular flange, and a relatively narrower slot portionadapted to anchor between said pair of annular flanges, said resilientmeans being disposed adjacent said narrower slot portion.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said outer container is composed ofpaperboard.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said outer container is composed ofplastic material.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said resilient means is a flexibleband.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said resilient means is a spring.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 232,404 9/1880Johnson 222512 X 844,755 2/ 1907 Schalow. 2,671,434 3/1954 Schmiedeskamp25l- 32l X 2,772,037 11/1956 Rieke 222522 X 2,790,582 4/ 1957 Halpern222522 X 3,108,732 10/1963 Curie et al 222183 X 3,138,293 6/1964 Roak eta1. 222l05 3,173,579 3/1965 Curie et a1. 222-- 3,207,388 9/1965Waddington et a1. 222524 X ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES R. CARTER, Examiner.

K. N. LEIMER, Assistant Examiner.

1. AN ASSEMBLY FOR CONTAINING AND DISPENSING LIQUID MATERIAL COMPRISINGA RIGID OUTER CONTAINER AND A FLEXIBLE THERMOPLASTIC INNER LIQUIDCONTAINER DISPOSED THEREIN, SAID INNER CONTAINER INCLUDING A SPIGOTADAPTED TO PROJECT THROUGH AN OPENING FORMED IN A WALL OF SAID OUTERCONTAINER, SAID SPIGOT INCLUDING A FIRST TUBULAR MEMBER, A RELATIVELYRIGID FIRST ANNULAR FLANGE EMBRACING SAID FIRST TUBULAR MEMBER INCLUDINGA RELATIVELY FLEXIBLE PERIPHERAL PORTION SEALED TO SAID INNER CONTAINERABOUT A COMMUNICATING APERTURE THEREIN, A SECOND TUBULAR MEMBER HAVINGONE END IN TELESCOPIC ENGAGEMENT WITH THE FIRST AT THE OUTER END PORTIONTHEREOF PROVIDING A COMMON CONDUIT THEREWITH, A CLOSURE AT THE OPPOSEDEND OF SAID SECOND TUBULAR MEMBER, SAID SECOND TUBULAR MEMBER BEINGFORMED WITH AN APERTURE ADJACENT SAID END CLOSURE, AND RESILIENT MEANSEXTENDING FROM SAID RIGID CONTAINER TO SAID END CLOSURE FOR YIELDABLYRETAINING SAID TUBULAR MEMBERS IN TELSCOPED RELATIONSHIP WHEREBY THEAPERTURE IN SAID SECOND TUBULAR MEMBER IS COVERED BY SAID FIRST TUBULARMEMBER, SAID FIRST TUBULAR MEMBER INCLUDING A SECOND AXIALLY SPACEDRELATIVELY RIGID ANNULAR FLANGE, SAID RIGID OUTER CONTAINER BEING FORMEDWITH A SLOT HAVING AN ENLARGED PORTION ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THERETHROUGHSAID SECOND ANNULAR FLANGE, AND A RELATIVELY NARROWER SLOT PORTIONADAPTED TO ANCHOR BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF ANNULAR FLANGES, SAID RESILIENTMEANS BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID NARROWER SLOT PORTION.